James Pearson

Ronnie Scott’s Christmas Lunches

james — Mon, 05 Dec 2011 13:08:53 +0000

For the third year running James Pearson’s unique lunchtime Christmas Cabaret has started. Alongside fellow Ronnie Scotts Allstars Natalie Williams and Alex Garnett this is a christmas show with a differnce. Audiences can take part in the Kazoo competition as well as hear Rachmaninoff interpret Jingle Bells or a rap version of “Ding Dong”….A Boogie Woogie “In The Bleak Midwinter” to Chas and Dave style “Rudolf”…complete with Cockney singing. Check out www.ronniescotts.co.uk for timings and info.

Jazzwise Review

james — Mon, 05 Dec 2011 13:02:56 +0000

As usual at Ronnie’s Saturday night at the club features two houses, turned around a little after 10pm, and the ideal opening set to the first house was provided by the trio of artistic director pianist James Pearson, bassist Tim Thornton, and drummer Mark Fletcher (formerly with poet Don Paterson’s much missed band Lammas), with singer Polly Gibbons joining. Gibbons when she was a complete unknown was nominated for a BBC jazz award and has grown artistically since this early recognition. Gibbons has a very unmannered soulful voice, and excelled on the late Phoebe Snow’s ‘Something Real’. Fragile at times, but with great emotional control, and a voice slightly reminiscent of Betty Carter’s, she has the wonderful ability to get inside any particular song she chooses, no small feat. Pearson and Thornton have a good thing going, channelling the softs and louds with Pearson’s recalibrated Oscar Peterson-isms and touches of his own invention superb as ever. Worth getting there early for, on an auspicious evening

Blues and The Abstract Truth

james — Tue, 08 Nov 2011 09:23:38 +0000

This Saturday James has put together an AllStar re-creation of Oliver Nelson’s seminal album from 1961. It will be performed in the Barbican before McCoy Tyner and stars Byron Wallen, Jean Touissaint, and Nathaniel Facey.

Children In Need-Weekend Wogan

james — Tue, 18 Oct 2011 12:33:58 +0000

On 30th October James will direct the Ronnie Scott’s Jazz Orchestra in a BBCradio 2 special, live from the Savoy. Guests to include Joss Stone, Gary Barlow, Dionne Bromfield, Katie Melua and Englebert Humperdink…you can listen live between 11am and 1pm…

Rhapsody in Blue on Radio 2

james — Mon, 23 May 2011 13:48:16 +0000

Hear James play George Gershwin’s Rhapsody in Blue, this friday on Radio 2’s Friday Night Is Music Night, live from the Mermaid Theatre, with the BBC Concert Orchestra

George Shearing Remembered

james — Mon, 23 May 2011 13:35:05 +0000

James Pearson to perform George Shearing Tribute. In the Stables Theatre, Wavendon on July 10th.
After a sell out performance at Ronnie Scott’s James takes the show to Wavendon, where they musically recreate the George Shearing Quintet. He has dug out some rare material including many Shearing originals

Special Candle lit concert at St Martin in the Fields

admin — Thu, 24 Mar 2011 08:16:52 +0000

Late Night Jazz by Candlelight – an atmospheric retrospective of the Brandenburg Choral Festival

***SPECIAL £15 TICKET just quote JIMMY’S SPECIAL RATE at the box office***

Thursday 7th April sees Ronnie Scotts artistic director and internationally acclaimed pianist, James Pearson return to St Martin in the Fields for a unique concert. Following the Mozart Requiem James will perform by candlelight drawing inspiration from the many Brandenburg Spring Choral Festival concerts.

As a jazz artist, James will improvise the concert entirely drawing themes and highlights from such master works as the Brahms, Mozart and Fauré Requiems, Spem in Alium and Allegri’s Miserere. If one were to take the word of the Observer (Outstanding – Dave Gelly) and The Sunday Times (a multi faceted player in shattering form – Clive Davis) this really is a concert not to be missed.

FOR SPECIAL £15 TICKET RATE just quote JIMMY’S SPECIAL RATE at the box office (does not include a glass of wine)

Normal Tickets are £19 unreserved includes a pre-concert glass of wine
and available from the St Martin-in-the-Fields Box Office: 0207 7766 1100 or online at www.smitf.org

James Fort-Knox interviews… the Blindman

admin — Sun, 03 Oct 2010 11:40:31 +0000

Another instalment from the archive. In this episode we hear James Fort-Knox interviewing the The Blindman…

James Fort-Knox interviews… Bruddy Stitch

admin — Wed, 29 Sep 2010 11:41:55 +0000

Here is the first instalment from the ‘cleaned up’ interviews that Mr.Fort-Knox did about 35 years ago. The tapes have been ‘caked’ and some quality has been lost. However as archival material they are a testament to a time sadly now gone. In this episode we hear James Fort-Knox interviewing Bruddy Stitch…

James Fort-Knox interviews… The Naked Pianist

james — Sat, 18 Sep 2010 16:14:59 +0000

Another instalment from the archive. In this episode we hear James Fort-Knox interviewing the Naked Pianist…

CHRIS DAGLEY RIP

james — Fri, 30 Jul 2010 08:44:58 +0000

Our amazing drummer Chris Dagley has been tragically killed, whilst driving home on his scooter. It happened on tuesday night after a glorious night where he once again dazzled us with his incredible drumming. As a drummer he will be missed, but as a friend he will be missed more. Chris simply was unique and everybody loved him. The Musical world is in deep shock. My heart is with his beautiful family who were the reason his world was a happy one…

This photo will be the last one taken of Chris, as it was taken literally an hour before the fatal journey on a iphone app that made pictures into vintage photo’s- which he was fascinated by!

Marlborough College

james — Wed, 21 Jul 2010 15:56:00 +0000

A rare opportunity to hear James in a solo recital. On Monday 26th July James returns to one of his old haunts to entertain the participants of the Marlborough Summer School.

A Musical Portrait of Erroll Garner

james — Tue, 06 Jul 2010 08:22:37 +0000

On Thursday 8th July, at Ronnie Scotts, James will play a special tribute to one of the greatest pianists of all time, the wonderful Erroll Garner. Check out the www.ronniescotts.co.uk for full details and special ticket offer

James Pearson at St Martin in the Fields

admin — Tue, 18 May 2010 19:42:21 +0000

This is what the venue have to say….

James Pearson is regarded as one of the world’s most talented pianists. His diverse career has seen extraordinary musical achievements. He has given numerous concerts in venues such as the Royal Festival Hall and Liverpool Philarmonic Hall and broadcast on all the major radio and television networks, including Rachmaninov’s Piano Concerto No 2 on Classic FM, Gershwin’s Piano Concerto and Rhapsody in Blue on BBC Radio 2. He has performed with Principal Bass of the Concertgebouw Orchestra Dominic Seldis for over 15 years in the country’s top music halls, and local music clubs and societies.

His work as a Jazz musician has taken him all over the world, including most of the USA, and Europe, in the major jazz clubs such as ‘Birdland’ (NYC). His fine piano playing and arrangements can be heard on over 50 albums. He has played with the great heroes of jazz including Dame Cleo Laine, Maria Ewing, Marian Montgomery, Petula Clark, John Wilson, Elvin Jones, Wynton Marsalis, Dave Stewart, Buddy Grecco, Johnny Griffin, Joseph Horowitz, and Richard Rodney Bennett, to name but a few, and the great late Sir John Dankworth has said of him “James Pearson shows moments of genius, his improvising is only comparable to the great jazz legends like Oscar Peterson and George Shearing”.

As Artistic Director and house pianist of Ronnie Scott’s Jazz Club, besides playing there regularly with the world’s leading jazz artists, James is also repsonsible for booking the entire calendar of gigs. James also works frequently with Kevin Spacey and has recorded his own song with Joss Stone on vocals. His film work as a musical advisor and performer includes ‘Calendar Girls’ and ‘Alfie’ (the remake with Jude law), and ‘Beyond the Sea’. James’s work as a composer and arranger is multi-faceted. He has arranged and composed original music for BBC Concert Orchestra, BBC Big Band, and a whole host more. His future plans include a commission from the BFI for the entire score for ‘The Big Smoke’, a film about London through the ages, to be premiered in June.

Programme
An Evening with James Pearson.

The critically acclaimed pianist James Pearson, artistic director at Ronnie Scott’s, is well known for his great piano improvisations, these will be interspersed with witty anecdotes from ‘life behind the keys’. Tonight he treats us to jazz classics such as Mood Indigo, In a Mellowtone and Maple Leaf Ragtogether with his own jazz interpretations of classical masterpieces by Rachmaninov, Beethoven and Chopin. As usual with a Pearson performance you can expect the unexpected and be in for a real treat hearing a master at work…

“A true star” The Times

“Pearson puts a smile on everyone’s face” London Evening Standard

“Head and shoulders above the rest of his contemporaries” Sir John Dankworth

Ticket includes a glass of house wine or soft drink in Café in the Crypt before the concert

Concert lasts one hour without an interval

Click here to see the original article

James Pearson shares his tips in the Guardian

admin — Mon, 12 Apr 2010 14:12:27 +0000

The insiders’ guide to the world’s best small music venues. Musicians, DJs and authors to reveal their favourite hangouts.

See full article here

James Pearson and Sir John Dankworth at the BFI last year

admin — Wed, 07 Apr 2010 13:09:22 +0000

From the BFI site:

Jazz Weekender

With live jazz in the Riverfront and foyer, screenings of archive TV jazz classics, and a live performance by the legendary Sir John Dankworth, this was a Weekender to remember at BFI Southbank. Running from June 12-14, the weekend of events also marked the culmination of our London in Motion competition, whereby young people submitted a short film evoking the capital on the move to win a soundtrack by Ronnie Scott’s house band. With a judging panel including Sir John Dankworth, Nicholas Hoult, and Daniel Kaluuya, the competition was won by Tom Cleary with Slow Down. The Jazz Weekender was presented in association with Ronnie Scott’s Jazz Club, marking their 50th birthday, and formed a part of the Mayor’s Story of London celebrations.

See the full article and video here

James Pearson vs The Archers vs Chopin on BBC Radio 4

admin — Sat, 27 Feb 2010 19:11:13 +0000

James was invited to compose a special version of the Archers in the style of Chopin for BBC Radio 4. Bonkers! Have a listen here.

Old London Street Scenes – Extract from BFI commissioned film

admin — Sat, 27 Feb 2010 15:42:22 +0000

James was recently commissioned by the BFI to compose a score for The Big Smoke. This is an extract from the film.

This is what the BFI say:

Experience London life in a bygone age, from the bustle of the Victorian commute to the ordeal of the Blitz, with this programme of silent films from the BFI National Archive – brought to dazzling life with a newly-commissioned score and featuring a selection of treasures from the Imperial War Museum and London’s Screen Archives.
Score composed and performed by celebrated pianist James Pearson with the Ronnie Scott’s All Stars.

Made over 100 years ago, this footage shows a number of scenes shot around central London, taking in locations such as Hyde Park Corner, Parliament Square and Charing Cross Station. We see crowds of people disembarking from a pleasure steamer at Victoria Embankment, pedestrians dodging horse-drawn carriages in Pall Mall, and heavy traffic trotting down the Strand. In fact crossing the road back then would probably be regarded as an extreme sport today – pedestrians scarily dodge carriages and horses risking life and limb.
There are plenty of famous landmarks to spot here, including Big Ben, the National Gallery and the Bank of England, and it is fascinating to see the similarities between the customs of “then” and “now” – the dense traffic (mainly horse-drawn, with the occasional motor car) is highly reminiscent of today’s London rush hour, whilst advertising on public transport is clearly no new phenomenon – in one scene, an advert for Nestlé’s Milk seems to be plastered on every other vehicle.

BFI

James Fort Knox – an explanation

admin — Sat, 27 Feb 2010 08:34:22 +0000

When James Pearson became Artistic Director of RSJC he discovered an old box, full of Reel to Reel tapes. On listening to them he discovered that they were interviews and archive recordings. He is currently in the process of catologing them and here are some of the ones that are slightly better quality. These extremly rare interviews are in the ‘listen’ section on the website.

James Robert Aluisious Fort-Knox

Revolver Blog – an explanation

admin — Thu, 28 Jan 2010 17:52:00 +0000

This is the first post from my revolver blog. Over the year I plan to record my own versions of the entirety of Revolver by the Beatles. I aim to post a song every month and then release the finished collection as album at the end of the year.

All the sounds you will hear will be made by my piano or me.

James Pearson

Ronnie Scott’s Christmas Lunches

Jazzwise Review

Blues and The Abstract Truth

Children In Need-Weekend Wogan

Rhapsody in Blue on Radio 2

George Shearing Remembered

Special Candle lit concert at St Martin in the Fields

Related gig

James Fort-Knox interviews… the Blindman

James Fort-Knox interviews… Bruddy Stitch

James Fort-Knox interviews… The Naked Pianist

CHRIS DAGLEY RIP

Marlborough College

Related gig

A Musical Portrait of Erroll Garner

Related gig

James Pearson at St Martin in the Fields

Related gig

James Pearson shares his tips in the Guardian

James Pearson and Sir John Dankworth at the BFI last year

James Pearson vs The Archers vs Chopin on BBC Radio 4

Old London Street Scenes – Extract from BFI commissioned film

James Fort Knox – an explanation

Revolver Blog – an explanation